Chapter 10: Social and Humanitarian Issues Refugees Major Human Rights Agreements UN Agencies and Human Rights Regional Human Rights Accords and Agencies NGOS and Human Rights Humanitarian Intervention Rwanda and Yugoslavia TRM 431

Violation of Human Rights Can you specify what is “Violation of Human Rights”? Do violation of human rights issues threaten the world peace? No Yes TRM 431

Role of IOs in Protecting Human Rights How can IOs contribute to solving the humanitarian problems? Protect refugees Provide humanitarian assistance in the forms of Food, Medical treatment, Medicine, Place to stay. Humanitarian Intervention TRM 431

Who are refugees? De jure refugees A legal status granted by a state to an asylum seeker for reasons of an individual persecution. Does it include people running from civil unrest & general violence? No! What happens to those? Refugee-like people protected by UNHCR* De facto Refugees TRM 431

How important is it? There are more than 20 million people in the status of refugee-like situations. WWII Europeans, Africans Arab-Israel Palestinians Central America & Haiti many left their nation Afghanistan millions of Afghans fled When these people move into neighboring states they seek shelter, food and water. When people are left without basic needs diseases spread around. TRM 431

Which UN body protects refugees? United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was formed by UN in 1950. Nonrefoulement: The legal obligation of states set in the 1951 convention; States have a legal obligation not to return refugees. Has the right to offer asylum for individuals Nation Nation Individual: Fear of being persecuted for race, religion, nationality, membership to a social group or political opinion. Voluntary Repatriation Resettlement Assimilation Seeks asylum TRM 431

Promotion of human rights is the primary concern of UN. UNHCR Promotion of human rights is the primary concern of UN. The UNHCR spends $ 400 million to $1 billion annually. Contributions come from US, Japan, Germany and other industrialized countries. Cooperates with other UN bodies in delivering help such as WHO. TRM 431

What is the “Most Translated Document in the World ?” Clue: related to UN TRM 431

Human Rights and the UN According to the Guinness Book of records the most translated document in the world is Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Passed by UN in 1948. South Africa USSR and Eastern Bloc countries abstained from it. Not binding on states but thirty basic principles related to human dignity. Right to work, to form unions, standard of living besides basic political and civil rights. The binding international law could not follow the UDHR. There was conflict among the states. TRM 431

Human Rights Conflictual??? Three important debates:1 West. Led by US. Civil and political rights are important. If you give individuals these rights they can actualize for themselves their economic and social rights. Criticized USSR for civil rights. East Led by USSR Criticized racial discrimination in the US. The states has a role in securing a min. standards of living. TRM 431

Human Rights Conflictual??? Three important debates:2 North Differences of rich and poor. Western nations heavily criticized others for civil rights but themselves supported brutal colonial regimes and authoritarian governments. South Believed North systematically ignored the basic needs of people in the developing world. TRM 431

Human Rights Conflictual??? Three important debates:3 Universal Human Rights is universal. Applicable to all. Two international treaties: The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural rights. The International covenant on Civil and Political rights. Cultural relativism Human Rights should be understood in the light of culture. It is all conceptualized by the West and UN. Isn’t West imposing its culture on the world? What about religious traditions of the Middle East, Indians, Chinese? TRM 431

UN and Human Rights 2005 a new Human Rights Council was established, has 47 members elected by the General Assembly. 1993: The Vienna Declaration, created a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR), is charged with promoting human rights. Can not force states to adopt the international practice. 1994 OIC declared the Cairo declaration, which adopts the Islamic interpretation of human rights. ILO works on international labor standards. TRM 431

Regional Human Rights Accords European Convention on Human Rights (1953) Petitions go through European Court of Human Rights Good human rights record in general Inter-American Convention Concerned in promoting human rights. Poor record of member states. Low level of enforcement. TRM 431

NGOs and Human Rights Doctors Without Borders 2,000 volunteers, Int. Com. for the Red Cross Aids the victims of war Was active in Ethiopia, Sudan, Bosnia and Chechnya Doctors Without Borders 2,000 volunteers, provides medical relief NGOs play central roles, they report to the International Commission human Rights, but abuses continue to occur. Amnesty International To save prisoners Human Rights Watch An active and reputable group Working on investigating and publisizing abuses. TRM 431

Humanitarian Intervention According to UN Charter UN can’t intervene in the domestic jurisdiction. ??? Dictatorial interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state to secure and enforce human rights. Nonforcible measures Economic sanctions, witholding of aid, funding of opposition parties. Forcible Measures Use of Military units without the government’s consent. TRM 431

Humanitarian Intervention Security Council can determine any existence of any threat to the peace. Dictatorial interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state to secure and enforce human rights. Threat to Peace Nonforcible measures 1966 -1968 economic sanctions against Zimbabwe.white gov. Had declared independence from UK, implemented minority rule. 1977 Arms embargo against South Africa white minority government practiced apartheid. World Bank cut off assistance to Kenya in 1992. Forcible Measures 1991- Persian Gulf Crisis UN sent units to North Iraq for Kurds without the consent of Iraq gov. Security Council decided there was threat to peace. TRM 431

Humanitarian Intervention Violations of economic and social rights by IMF and World Bank ??? Can IOs use human rights violations to mask other motives to intervene ? Dictatorial interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state to secure and enforce human rights. UN intervention is only against weaker members. Is there a double standard? No clear pattern 1992 breakdown of civil order in Somalia. Security Council found the situation as a threat to security and provided immediate assistance. Could not help the political stabilization and UN was chased out of Somalia. UN interrupted in Somalia but not to Burundi, Mozambique, East Timor, North Korea. TRM 431

Rwanda A small country in east-central Africa. 10 million inhabitants. TRM 431

Rwanda Belgian colony between 1918-1962. The populations of Rwanda and Burundi were divided into three ethnic-based classes: Hutus, Tutsis and Twas. In 1994 genocide, between 800,000 and one million people were killed. Mostly Tutsis. The mass movement of people created a humanitarian disaster in the border regions especially in Tanzania. Refugee camp in Zaire TRM 431

Ethnic Conflict in Rwanda Tutsis Belgian Government favoured the Tutsi minority, created a Tutsi aristocracy. Tutsis received preferential rights, education and employment and access to many more resources. Racialization of the Hutu-Tutsi difference took place under colonialism and is at the root of the genocide. Hutus Majority group in the country. Felt suppressed, inferiority complex. In 1959 the king died and power struggle started. Hutus took control in 1961 and declared independence in 1962, joined UN. Many Tutsis were persecuted. In 1963 Tutsis from Burundi invaded Rwanda. It was a failed attempt. Many Tutsis fled to neighbouring countries. TRM 431

Rwanda In 1993 UN Assistance Mission for Rwanda was established in order to help implement the cease-fire between the Hutu government and Tutsi rebels. 2.500 blue helmets consisted of troops from Belgium, Ghana and Pakistan. The first woman prime minister and the ten peacekeepers were raped and killed. Leaders of Tutsis were killed, thousands of them went to UN camps for protection. UNAMIR was unable to stop the war because they were not armed and inadequate. It withdraw from Rwanda. Hutus went to camps and killed the inhabitants. Finally Kigali fell into the hands of the Tutsis and one million Hutus fled to neighbouring countries. A new coalition gov. formed, with Tutsis represented in the new gov. TRM 431

What factors contributed to the genocide? Realist US didn’t want to intervene because of failure in Somalia. UN followed US. Hutus knew if they killed a few peacekeepers the rest would shy away. Liberals UN needs to protect its peacekeepers. Explanation: Lack of political by member countries to act. Rwanda Genocide Marxists In history Belgian gov. used the conflict for improving its colonial power. Hutus were kept poor. UN has a role in the crisis. Feminists Women are capable of violence. During the geneocide there were women who helped the mass murder of Tutsis. TRM 431

International Criminal Courts The genocides in Rwanda and former Yugoslavia have prompted the international community to criminal courts to prosecute those accused of war crimes. International Criminal Tribunal was set up for former Yugoslavia. TRM 431

International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia. How effective was UN? Realist Liberals . Yugoslavia Genocide Marxists Feminists . TRM 431